Monday, November 28, 2011

Four Virtual Eco Systems…Now I Get It!

This park is really amazing.

It has four ecosystems on over a mile of boardwalks. You get the sights and sounds of a cypress/tupelo swamp, a bottomland hardwood forest, a mixed pine/hardwood forest and the Tickfaw River. We took and extended walk around the park this morning. It truly is an amazing place.

On occasion, (according to the brochure), the park site serves the region by holding back the floodwaters when winter and spring rains overflow the banks of the Tickfaw River. They explain that this occasional flooding offers an opportunity to educate visitors, such as ourselves, on the importance of periodic flooding in the cycle of life. This makes wetlands an invaluable habitat and breeding ground for wildlife (aka alligators) and fisheries.

They have hiking trails , and they even have cabins you can rent that sleep 8 people. They also have a Nature Center, which was closed today, but we will explore that later in the week . In the Nature Center, they have an 800-gallon aquarium stocked with fish found in the Tickfaw River, and also have displays featuring the animals, history and culture of the area and of Louisiana, which I love!

Above photos are of the cabins… I got this pic of one of the screen porches through the door….very nice!

If you are feeling brave/adventuresome (or, I would say stupid), you can take a “fun-filled” trip in a canoe on this section of the Tickfaw River. Visitors can bring their own canoes or rent ones at the entrance station. Darn!! I just knew we forgot something..I sooooo wanted to canoe with the Gators and look for Captain Hooks’ clock… They also actually have a “water playground” for kids (and those who will never grow up, as moi)..Looks like it would be really fun when the hot summer months occur . We must come back in the summer sometime so I can put my squirt gun collection to good use!

Den is standing at the canoe launch, which we will NEVER, EVER be using…..

Saw this sign on the road beside a trail and, as Den led the way, we followed the trail into the woods to see the “Grandma” Bald Cypress Tree…Every time I heard a noise I almost wet myself….and McGuyver laughed…

“Here is “The Grandma Tree”..(the biggest one in the picture). She is a bald cypress estimated to be between 400 and 800 years old. She has survived many natural disasters as well as the logging of the forest in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Why would the loggers leave her untouched? She was no worth to the loggers because she is hollow and her top is broken out. She is a monument to longevity – she could have been here when Christopher Columbus discovered America.” We didn’t linger long in this trail to gawk at the tree…Man, it was soooo quiet in that thicket…TOOOO quiet for me.

OK, that was our tour for today…We are staying here at the park today…Partly because we cannot find our way OUT of the park, and partly because it’s too chilly to go plantation touring. Tomorrow the sun is supposedly coming out and it will hit a balmy 59 degrees…Perfect for our drive to Vacherie and down The Great River Road…Now, if McGuyver and our GPS can just get us outta here…..

The River rd was a really lovely place. I expected to see the Mississippi more than one was able to do, what with the dykes and all. Toured the plantation to the east of Oak Alley. Lovely people, very informative. Laura Plantation was neat to, they had a gift store :)

It's true about running scared. When I was a kid I could always outrun my best friend, one day she thought she saw a cougar and all I saw was a streak passing me!So even though Den's legs are a lot longer, you'd probably pass him. Plus gator would think of you as a snack where Den would be a meal.

About Us

We were married 47 years last November...and they said it wouldn't last!..Dennis was born and raised in Sandwich, IL. I was born in Elgin,IL. and moved to Sandwich in 1960...our paths were meant to cross. Sandwich used to be a small farming community 60 miles Southwest of Chicago..There was only one stoplight when we were married..Now we have about 8, or more....Things have changed..too much. We have 3 kids, Kelly, our son and oldest child,
Terrie, our middle child and
daughter, and Christie, our youngest daughter. We met and
married in a matter of 6 months,
and to the surprise of some, it
has stood the test of time. We
have 5 super grandkids, 3 super
step grandkids and four super
GREAT step grandkids...so we are
blessed.
We never owned a camper until 2003 (unless you count the Pop-up we won in 1972 and never used) We are on our 2nd 5th wheel and lovin' it!! Dennis is retired from Caterpillar after 30 years and I am retired from many odd jobs of which I won't bore you with..So, life is good. I am the blogger, Den provides much of the material...So climb into the GMC truck with us and ride along..Dennis and Donna Cave